Can carriers exclude dogs based on breed, bites?

May 2, 2018

12:10 PM

With new data showing a continued increase countrywide in dog-bite claims (claims up 2.2% and average claim costs up 11.5% over last year), it’s no wonder insurance companies are looking to exclude certain dogs from policies. And, according to the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, in some cases they can.

State regulators assert that there is no statutory prohibition against insurer refusals to insure based on dog breed. However, after a policy has been in force for 60 days, there is a prohibition against termination based solely on breed. Biting history is an acceptable factor for non-renewal.

This interpretation is based on the Unfair Insurance Practices Act and the Dangerous Dog Law. Access our online resources for more on the statutory references, as well as the positions of regulators in neighboring states.